A Smile in the Sky
by iwillcontinuetodraw
Summary: The Decimo would always smile, because that was what the Sky is for- to hold the elements together. Please review so I know what's wrong with it! :D


Tsuna's smile was always a little in awe.

"Ahh, Yamamoto, that was cool!"

"Maa, maa, it's practice!" He would wave his bat around.

Because the things others can do are always so great- Yamamoto can catch any amount of small white balls flying at him from Reborn's dangerous ball dispenser, Gokudera can hit ever so many paper airplanes with his dynamites, Hibari's skills are ever so reliably precise, deadly…

And he himself can only watch in awe.

"Sugoe na, Gokudera-kun!"

"Thank you, Juudaime!"

Tsuna had never been pleased to fight, whether in training or in combat. His serious eyes would reflect the brilliant orange of the Sky flames, his mouth a tight line. And if it was a training session, after each explosion he would pause, waiting for the clouds of debris to clear, and ask concernedly "Are you alright?"- every time, even with Hibari. And Hibari'd make an impatient sound and fly at Tsuna once again. When finally both of them are too tired to move, Hibari would sit against a wall and mutter "That herbivore attitude of yours is going to get you killed one day." And then Tsuna, lying on the floor, would smile, and his smile would be like the brightest, bluest sky.

Normally, the 10th generation of the Vongola family would be what Reborn'd dub "immature". He's said that out loud, many times, but Tsuna knew he didn't mean it. Of course, if a visitor were to chance upon the Vongola during their free time, that would be the first word to spring to mind, although no one would say that out loud. Not that anyone would mind, of course.

They've had food fights- plentiful of them, which Tsuna would always suffer in. In fact, on Yamamoto's 24th birthday, Tsuna clearly remembered being disadvantaged in a full-blown food missile war.

While Gokudera was happily talented in tossing croissants around the table, and Yamamoto caught bits of pizza with ease, Hibari, coerced to the party by Dino, did not hesitate in taking precise aim and throwing an occasional tea cup at the offending party. Lambo was ready with his bazooka, and woe is the person who offends Mukuro, for he played with the cutlery. Ryohei even had a special move. Decimo, however, was helplessly ungifted in the art of food warcraft (honestly, what can one do with flaming gloves but make magnificent roasted marshmallows?) The party concluded with a very chocolate caked Decimo, who would grin ruefully and try not to get chocolate over every other object in the room.

And sometimes, when some important mission had been accomplished together, the Famiglia would lie on the grass outside and enjoy the sun on their faces. Tsuna remembered once when he opened his eyes despite the bright sunlight and spotted a gathering of clouds shaped like a big smiley face, right above him. He had laughed, and pointed it out to Hibari, whom he knew was on a tree. Ryohei had shouted "WOAH! EXTREME!" and Lambo, looking at it upside down, had lazily said it looked like something rather obscurely obscene, but it was the sight of Hibari's face that sent everyone into fits of laughter, curling up in the grass.

Times got serious after then. The mafia world went on hunt for the tre-ni-sette, three sets of seven rings, the stones of which made up the world. One of the sets was the Vongola Rings. For the power to control the world, wars broke out- violent, explosive wars that harmed not only the Famiglia involved but the population as well. As news of destruction continued to come to Tsuna, he had made a decision.

Reactions varied. Hibari handed over his ring with only a slight comment. Gokudera, however, protested violently when finally Tsuna approached him. Even Squalo yelled at him through the video camera, and after the Varia was done with him he felt sure that his ears were bleeding.

"DON'T JUST STAND THERE AND SMILE, TRASH!"

But that was what he had done, stood still in front of the screen until they were done with screaming at him, until Xanxus lost it and threw a table at Lussuria and the camera blanked out into darkness. Tsuna then slumped down against a wall and buried his face in his arms, smiling tiredly, bitterly.

Yamamoto's father's funeral was a small, quiet one, almost secret. Yamamoto smiled through the service, and everyone pretended not to see the strain in his eyes. As the coffin lowered into the earth, Yamamoto had shouted a final thank-you to the once-great swordsman.

It was Tsuna who stayed behind after the funeral, standing beside the strong man as he finally tore away his cheery mask and wept. Gokudera, watching from afar, could no longer tell if Decimo was smiling or crying.

Tsuna carried a smile to his death. He walked out of the Headquarters and held an expectant small smile as the Millifiore opened fire on him. Scarlet spread on his white suit but no pain showed on his face. Slowly, Vongola X fell.


End file.
